Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

उवाच वाक्यं जगदेकमंगलं हिमालयो वाक्यविदां वरिष्ठः

Transliteration

uvāca vākyaṃ jagadekamaṃgalaṃ himālayo vākyavidāṃ variṣṭhaḥ

Translation

Himālaya, der Vornehmste unter den Wortkundigen, sprach Worte, die der Welt einziges Heil und Glück bedeuteten.

Word by Word

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• वाक्यम्: a statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• जगत्-एक-मङ्गलम्: the sole auspiciousness of the world
• जगत्-एक-मङ्गलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + एक (प्रातिपदिक) + मङ्गल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (जगतः एकं मङ्गलम्) विशेषणम् (वाक्यम्)

• हिमालयः: Himālaya
• हिमालयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमालय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (हिमस्य आलयः)

• वाक्यविदाम्: of those skilled in speech
• वाक्यविदाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्यविद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वाक्यं वेत्ति इति)

• वरिष्ठः: the best
• वरिष्ठः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वरिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; श्रेष्ठतम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अतिशय-तमा (superlative) विशेषणम् (हिमालयः)

Speaker

Himālaya (Himavān)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Implied sages/devotees

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Himālaya, personified as a dignified mountain-king, begins to speak—hands poised, face luminous—before Śiva’s tranquil presence; attendants (ṛṣis/devas) listen in hushed awe amid snowy grandeur.

Characters & Entities

• Himālaya/Himavān
• Śiva (implied listener)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred speech (stuti) offered to the Lord becomes a vehicle of universal auspiciousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedārakhaṇḍa’s Himalayan sanctum where Himavān offers praise in Śiva’s presence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; it models stotra-like praise as a devotional act.